I have been a bus driver since late 2006. I know the inside story, the scoop, the down low dirt of what it takes to be a bus driver, how to handle kids and adults, and how to survive on the "streets" so to speak. I used to have a blog, feel free to browse it or ask me a question here.
Someone's gotta do it. It's either that or the district offers remote learning options for the teenagers and not everyone succeeds that way.
Weather, traffic, and trains are my top three followed by shortage of staff issues. It's no secret that there's been a bus driver shortage lately mainly due to the behavior of the kids and the low pay offered to put up with the behavior issues. Rarely a maintenance issue pops up, but it does happen. Even the most "on time" bus driver can be late.
I wish we had this system. It would cut out the middle man, though I think that some oversight is needed if a driver does abuse it, like if a child has been written up more than 3 times and kicked off the bus, then future issues need to be handled through administration and driver collaboration. The problem facing drivers is that parents refuse to see their child could be a problem.
If she does put her hands on people, that's not okay. But consider your actions on the bus and try to get the other kids on your bus to stop acting out. Being mean for the sake of being mean is one thing but being mean but also being fair is another. If she holds everyone to the same standards then you may find you actually like her.
MBA Student
How many years of work experience do you REALLY need before applying?
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What car brands are most/least likely to end up in the shop?
Air Traffic Controller
Have you ever ordered a pilot to abort mid-takeoff?
I use a variety of positive reinforcement tactics. For most kids, a routine is best so assigning them a seat on the bus and a seatmate they're friends with alleviates 90 percent of behavior issues. The other 10 percent, I use positive rewards for good behavior and largely ignore the bad behavior. Sometimes with a difficult child, I assign them a "job" like making sure everyone is awake. Now occasionally even this method doesn't work and I do have to resort to writing a child up and turning them into the school but that is a last resort.
Highschool diploma and cdl certification is standard. Anything else is bonus and more than welcome.
It depends on the district. Most districts have rules about when and how early to pick up students.
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